Chinese American Museum, Cultural museum in Downtown Los Angeles, United States.

The Chinese American Museum occupies the Garnier Building, the oldest surviving Chinese building in Southern California, in Downtown Los Angeles. Its red brick facade has arched windows on two upper levels and raised metal letters reading "CHINESE AMERICAN MUSEUM" with Chinese characters beneath. Inside, exhibits include a recreation of the Hing Yuen Hong Chinese Herb Shop and "Origins: The Birth and Rise of Chinese American Communities in Los Angeles."

The museum occupies the Garnier Building, the oldest surviving Chinese building in Southern California. Planning began in October 1984, and the museum opened on December 18, 2003, as the first institution in Southern California devoted to Chinese American history. The original Los Angeles Chinatown stood on this site until it was moved to make way for Union Station.

The museum's name links the Chinese and American sides of the community it documents. Each year a Lantern Festival for Chinese New Year brings lion dancers, acrobatics, Chinese knotting and dance performances, and the annual Historymakers Awards banquet honours figures such as actress Lisa Lu, honoured in 2009.

The location sits within the historic Pueblo district, easily walkable from the central downtown area with clear directional signs throughout. Visiting during daylight hours allows you to explore the surrounding streets and get a sense of the historic neighborhood.

One highlight is a recreated 1890s shop interior complete with original containers and traditional goods from that era. This setup gives visitors a direct sense of how Chinese merchants conducted their daily business and what products they sold.